Confessions of a Flea Marketeer

In my hiatus from blogging I have: successfully and stressfully moved to another state, become acclimated to that state, established myself as a local flea market vendor, and opened Etsy and eBay shops for business. Yes, in that order. Reading and writing has still been an active part of my life but these other activities have opened my eyes to new avenues in which to pursue goals and achieve success. When I first started selling on eBay, I focused on whatever I had handy at the time. My main goal was to lighten my load before I moved and once again to rid myself of items I should not have taken with me. I had no particular goal in mind other than to provide myself with space and make some money along the way. Once I ventured into flea marketing, my whole perspective changed; both in selling online and in my writing habits.

Again, my initial goal was to sell what I had at a flea market and make some money. My boyfriend was the brains behind the operation and together we filled a whole table at our first flea market. We made good money and the majority of it was profit since most of what we sold had either been given to us or had been with us for so long we could no longer remember what we paid for the items. We had fun and were inspired to do it again (despite the early and exhausting Saturdays that went with selling). We found ourselves selling at a flea market every other weekend and on our off weekends going to auctions and yard sales, stocking up on merchandise to fill our tables. Now it is a business. A legit, store-front, receipt-giving, credit card-accepting business? No, but it is fun and it’s something to do in our free time to make a little extra money. So what exactly, you may ask, does this have to do with my writing and blogging? Well let me explain.

We discovered that you have to have something for everyone on that table in order to have everyone stop and look. Kids merchandise such as Matchbox, Hot Wheels, or figurines go into boxes on the floor under the table at their level to grab their attention and bring the parents over. Glassware, candles, home décor, and jewelry go on one table to attract the ladies while their husbands explore the antique and modern tools, collectibles, fishing gear, and sports memorabilia on the other side. We have boxes of DVDs for the movie goer, boxes of books for the readers, and boxes of odds and ends for specific trades (i.e. plumbers, electricians, etc.) See? Something for everyone. This philosophy now applies to my writing and more specifically to this blog.

When I started this blog, I began it with the explicit interest in posting my own creative writing (mostly Tolkien-related or fantasy literature). Then I started second guessing myself posting original material on here lest it become a victim of plagiarism (for the few bullies out there who practice the craft). So my writing here became more and more scarce as I ran out of things to write about that I actually wanted to share. Well, those days are over! I am here to write for everyone, about everything, and to encourage every reader here to do the same. I’ve read over and over by “experts” that blogs should have a theme and that if you consider yourself a blogger you should stick to one subject and write on it. That may work for some people, but for me, I have decided to write on a variety of topics in order to keep my juices flowing and to reach a wider audience.

I am still an avid Tolkien fan and will write on him and his work frequently. I will still produce original material for review and feedback. But as a whole I am going to try and appeal to more writers. I apologize for the hiatus in writing and look forward to publishing on here more than ever! In the meantime, what is your flea market item? What draws you to the table? More importantly what would draw you to my blog and what topics interest you? Thanks for the feedback and thanks for reading!

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Published by The Bibliophilia Co

I graduated Penn State University with a degree in Medieval Studies. In both reading and writing I enjoy historical biographies, particularly British Royalty or history pertaining to the British Isles. All writing advice, opinions, and criticism is very welcome.
I also run an Etsy shop dedicated to breathing new life in old books. I specialize in upcycled book crafts that make great gifts for my fellow book lovers. The Bibliophilia Co is where books are immortal.
For more book recommendations and reviews find me on Goodreads!
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